Product Spotlight 7/5: Strollers

kbrown2385

This week we are discussing strollers.  

Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.  

For S+TMs:

• Favorite [stroller]:
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
• What you like about it:
• What you don't like about it, if anything:
• Is there a [stroller] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
• Additional thoughts on [strollers]:

For FTMs:

• [Stroller(s)] you're interested in:
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
• Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?:

kbrown2385

• Favorite [stroller]: Chicco Bravo Stroller
• Link/picture: https://www.chiccousa.com/shop-our-products/strollers/full-size/bravo-quick-fold-stroller---ombra/07079104500070.html
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): about $230
• What you like about it: It’s comfortable to push. The handle is adjustable which was important to us because we are y’all. A lot of strollers are more comfortable for shorter people. I love the one hand fold and it also stands up on its wheels. So instead of having to lay it down on the ground or against something while loading it into the car, you fold it and it will stand in place. The fabric is super easy to clean any messes or spills. 
• What you don't like about it, if anything: It’s not super lightweight but I don’t find it too heavy to lift when folded. If I had to change one thing, I’d make it into a jogging stroller. I’d want something that is more versatile to be pushed on different surfaces (like off roasting). You never know where you will end up with the stroller. 
• Is there a [stroller] you don't have but are considering? Why?: A Phil and Ted but they are too expensive for our budget. I love how the double strollers are set up. 
• Additional thoughts on [strollers]: Choose something that is going to fit your lifestyle. You don’t need to buy the stroller car seat combo. Many strollers have kits available so you can fit different infant seats onto it. Also try and go to a store and test as many as you can. Push them around, fold them up, put a car seat in them etc. In hindsight, I should have gotten a jogging stroller, even for walking. They are easier to maneuver in general. 

Edit words

clee5711

Fav stroller: baby jogger city mini single and double! 
https://smile.amazon.com/Baby-Jogger-2016-Single-Stroller/dp/B019W8W6DY/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?keywords=baby+jogger+city+mini+gt&qid=1562331345&s=gateway&sprefix=baby+jogger&sr=8-11

https://smile.amazon.com/Baby-Jogger-2016-Double-Stroller/dp/B019W8WBPC/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?keywords=baby+jogger+city+mini+gt&qid=1562331382&s=gateway&sprefix=baby+jogger&sr=8-6

I have 0 complaints about my single. It might be my fav baby item. It’s super light and easy to open and close. 
My only complaint about my double is that there is not a car seat adapter for the Chico key fit. I just baby wore a lot at the beginning until he fit better in the regular seat. Other than that it’s amazing. 

Im not a fan of the stroller/car seat combos. I think they are bulky and awkward. The most important thing to me about our strollers were the ease of opening and closing. I can do the single with one hand while holding my kid in the other. 

leprechaunlady

Favourite Stroller:
 For dd we have the bugaboo cameleon 3 & I absolutely love it. Shes 2.5 now & were still using it.

Picture:




Cost: $$$$$

What you like about it:
I love how it handles, how it looks, dd is comfortable in it, it has 3 different seating angles, can be forward facing or face you, everything is adjustable (im not tall but dh is).
We have the adaptors for the car seat which was so handy when dd was an infant.

What don’t you like about it, it anything:
its not exactly compact & takes up a lot of space, even when folded. The basket in the bottom is difficult to access due to a crossbar between the wheels.

Is there another you’re considering:
Im now looking at the bugaboo donkey twin. If we wernt having twins I wouldnt even be contemplating changing as I truely love the one we have!

Additional thoughts:
look online & see what you like & what is within your budget, then go to a shop & try them out. Whilst ours was expensive I feel the amount we use it justified the cost but that may not ring true for everyone.

MrsJessS

Fav Stroller: BOB running stroller
https://www.bobgear.com/strollers/revolution-flex-30
-They are expensive but you can find them used for a good deal. We got ours brand new and half price at a consignment sale
- I run so this was an obvious must for me...but it’s also my everyday stroller. It pushes really easily and it’s very maneuverable. We live in Texas and the sidewalks/roads aren’t always that well maintained so I like that it handles those situations well. All around I am just obsessed with my stroller. 
- it’s heavy and you cannot fold it with a single hand. Car seat attachments are limited and sold separately (I never used it w a car seat). It’s also not compact so if space is an issue it may not be a good fit. 


Since this will be baby number 2, I am definitely getting the double BOB and waffling on getting a double that I can use with the infant seat. But I didn’t use a stroller that could hold the infant seat until DS was six months old so I am leaning towards just skipping it 

EmilyE13

• Favorite stroller: Uppababy Vista
• Link/picture: https://uppababy.com/vista/overview/
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): We got it as a baby shower gift, but it’s spendy. Looks like current model available for $899.99. 
• What you like about it: We love it. Very smooth handling and both the bassinet and toddler seats are really comfy for the kiddo. 
• What you don't like about it, if anything: It’s not particular compact but we have a separate, cheaper lightweight travel stroller for taking with us on planes. 
• Is there a stroller you don't have but are considering? Why?: I would think about a double stroller but instead may get one of the “piggyback” attachments so DD can ride standing up. I’ve also considered a BOB jogging stroller. 
• Additional thoughts on strollers: I agree that you should take the strollers on “test drives” through the store. My husband took this *very* seriously and he’s the one who made the call on the Uppababy based on how smooth it was. 

kbrown2385

So does anyone have any recommendations on a double??? 

biolprof

@kbrown2385 and others. What stores carry a bunch of strollers we can test drive. Feeling a bit out of my league here with all the options.

EmilyE13

@biolprof Buy Buy Baby!

kbrown2385

@biolprof buybuybaby like @emilye13 said. Also target has quite a few. 

leprechaunlady

@kbrown2385 are you thinking about a side by side or a tandem?
ive been doing a little but of research & think I want to go for a side by side. Like I mentioned above, im looking at the bugaboo donkey twin & want the ride on attachment for dd but its so expensive. My friend has the city mini double & loves it. Its a lot cheaper but im not sure how suitable it would be for a newborn & I also like a car seat attachment which I dont think it can facilitate either.

kbrown2385

@leprechaunlady no clue haha. My dream stroller is a Phil and ted but $600+ is way out of budget. I’ve seen and played around with a joovy side by side and really liked it. The size of the side by sides makes me nervous though. I have a friend who had a tandem and she said it was like driving a boat.

edit wasn’t finished 

leprechaunlady

@kbrown2385 I think we might go test drive some this weekend to get an idea but will hold off til after the anomaly scan before we push the button on anything. 
I had been thinking of the uppababy vista twin initially but reports that ive read dont recommend it as a twin despite the rave reviews for it as a single. 
I think id feel bad for the baby on the bottom with a tandem too, which is why im leaning towards a side by side. But yeah, the width of them scares me a little.
But for a tandem, im also drawn to the icandy peach twin.

could you get a phil&ted on a resale site for cheaper?

edited: wasnt finished 🙄

biolprof

I've been doing some looking today and found this Thule Ultraglide 2
https://www.thule.com/en-us/us/strollers/jogging-strollers/thule-urban-glide-2-_-10101923

Cost: $500 on the Thule website but I saw it for under $500 elsewhere

I've been looking for something that would take us from infant to toddler/beyond. I want it to be versatile enough that I don't need more than one stroller. I just don't like having extra stuff. So what attracts me to this one is that you can get an infant car seat adapter which works with many car seats so you aren't locked into a seat system and it has the versatility of going off road with the jogging suspension. It seems like it compacts down pretty well and doesn't break the bank as compared to some I have seen. 

Anyone know anything about this one? 

ETA: wrong link

MrsJessS

@biolprof Thule is a very solid option! I debated between the Thule and the BOB and would have been happy with either. Only needed up with the BOB because I found a much better deal. Depending on the car seat brand you are looking at, the BOB does also come with car seat adapters and they are a lot easier to find used/gently used at a lot lower prices. 

justbeachy888

@biolprof I have the Thule urban glide, my model is a few years old now and doesn’t have the hand brake but is otherwise the same. I like it as a jogging stroller, but not sure I would want to use it as an everyday stroller (I have the Uppababy Vista and the Yo-yo stroller for travel) as it is hard to fold and take up a lot of space folded. That being said, if you live in a place where you might not need to fold it often, it’s a great option. Or if you are able to do the Thule and a second stroller for running errands and such.

Xstatic3333

@justbeachy888 that’s exactly what we do. I have the Thule Urban Glide but only use it for actual jogging. For a jogging stroller it was light, easy to fold, and takes up much less space than the Bob. I don’t need a hand break, I’m too slow for that, but I do jog with baby a lot so at $300ish it was a worthy investment for me. I’ve used it on runs up to 10 miles on pretty rough city streets. I never got a car seat adaptor because DS was too big for his infant seat before he was old enough to jog!

For daily use/errands we have a basic City Mini. So light, easy one hand fold, small footprint, and now that DS is old enough for opinions it is his favorite. They are regular around $200 but we got an older model on sale for $60. 

For a double I’m looking for a Joovy Caboose after several great recs from BMB friends. Budget is lower this time but it looks like a good fit for us. 

kbrown2385

@Xstatic3333 I’ve been looking at the joovy caboose too. I need to see how it compares to the contour options. I like how they are both more budget friendly. I’m having trouble with the idea of spending $600 on a stroller 😬. 

leprechaunlady

@Xstatic3333 @kbrown2385 how does something like that work with newborns? ive been looking at ones that have bassinet options & infant carrier adaptors as i thought something like that would only work when theyre a bit older? 
@Xstatic3333 i know ds is a big guy & was always big but your new baby girl may not follow that trend

Xstatic3333

@leprechaunlady it has a car seat adapter! Of course car seat is another can of worms since I gave mine away and hated it anyway, but I guess that’s another thread for another day. FX for a more average sized kid this time for sure! Particularly at birth 

H really liked a snap and go cart for the very early days so I suppose we’ll grab one of those again, but only if I can find one used for like $20. 

kbrown2385

@leprachaunlady they both have infant car seat adapters. I’m leaning more towards the contour options has it has multiple ways for the seats to sit. The only thing I’m concerned with is it fitting in my trunk. I have a three row car  but won’t be able to put the back seat down since ds will have to sit there.

c1kc1kpol1cn1k

For S+TMs:

• Favorite [stroller]: We have the Peg Perego Book Stroller / Bassinet
• Link/picture: https://us.pegperego.com/baby/book-pop-up 
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $$
• What you like about it: I liked have a stroller that was a bassinet. We never used the bucket seat outside of the car and would place DD right into the bassinet if we were going anywhere. Also the bassinet part pops right off so if we went inside somewhere it would be a great place for baby to sleep and rest and not be constrained to the car seat. Also we used the bassinet part as DD's actual sleeping bassinet (it is approved for night time sleep) until she was 5/6 months. You just need to purchase the bassinet stand separate. Also I am a small person and the entire piece is not that heavy. I was easily able to lift it into my SUV and carry the bassinet around the house as well with DD in it. In the winter to make the bassinet warmer when we were walking I placed a merino wool lambskin inside the bassinet (only for the day time), it worked really great and was so cozy!
• What you don't like about it, if anything: I really liked it!
• Is there a [stroller] you don't have but are considering? Why?: nope, it was the Peg Perego or the Uppa Baby but the Uppa Baby was just too expensive for the exact same thing
• Additional thoughts on [strollers]: For us the bassinet worked very well. We borrowed my brothers actual bucket car seat for the months 1-7 and after that DD was in an actual fixed car seat. From the start I knew I didn't want to use a bucket seat for anything other than actually driving, that's just me!

mispanda

@kbrown2385 I have a Joovy Qool and like it.  Right now I use it with one seat and the bench for my 4 year old (seats hold up to 55 pounds).  I think the Buy Buy Baby website has all the configurations you can do.
I also have a City Mini GT single and love it.  I've been contemplating the double because I'll have two under two but I haven't looked to see if it does carseat attachments or if you have to buy prams for it.

kbrown2385

@mispanda I say the joovy qool and when I priced out everything we’d need it was almost $800. That is way too pricy for us. 

mispanda

@kbrown2385 do you have a Buy Buy Baby by you?  I'm pretty sure I was able to use a 20% of coupon on each item I needed.  But you're right the those type of strollers are pretty expensive.

kbrown2385

@mispanda the closest one is over an hour away. We do plan on going before taking the plunge on anything just to play with them and see what we like in person. I also need to make sure whatever we decide on fits in my car. 

stashattack

Has anyone tried the mockingbird? It’s modeled after the uppababy and buggaboo but at more than half the cost. I’m kinda digging it. 

https://hellomockingbird.com/?utm_source=Google_Brand&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=search&gclid=CjwKCAjw04vpBRB3EiwA0IieaqtyLWxtsxYX5OrOqoEEHrZXNWoNKkDuekakamcpbFJQ0VQXg-NLzhoC1h8QAvD_BwE

leprechaunlady

@stashattack wow that is so much cheaper & looks almost identical to the uppababy! does it have good reviews? anyone i know who has the uppababy loves it!

stashattack

@leprecahunlady the reviews seem really good on it. Everyone seems to love it, including people who have had the uppababy before. It's just still so new that not a lot of people have heard about it. I think it came out last year and since they aren't in retail stores I don't think that the news has spread as quickly. 

biolprof

@stashattack The thing I like about the uppababy vista is that it grows with the addition of the second seat and I don't think the mockingbird does, so it's probably closer to the cruz. It seems like a nice stroller though!

stashattack

@biolprof it looks like they are working on how to make the mockingbird grow, but right now I don't plan on having a second for the next few years, so I have the luxury of time on my side for that. But I totally see where wanting a stroller that does grow with the family for those who need it right away is more ideal!

mama_stef

@stashattack spent the last hour looking up reviews and it looks really good! It’s new contender for me but I’m also thinking we want something we can grow with but I’m not sure if we’re getting ahead of ourselves. 

stashattack

@mama_stef haha that was me yesterday after it popped up as a facebook ad for me. I was like... WHAT IS THIS MAGIC! LOL. Yeah I'm also worried about getting ahead of myself about thinking about multiples and needing extra for the stroller. So right now I think I'm just going to go with it, and hope that they will come up with a solution for multiple by the time we start trying again LOL.

justbeachy888

Ok so my favorite of the several strollers I have had is the YoYo. I bought the YoYo pre-owner so mine is an older version and doesn’t have many of the features of the current YoYo+ models, but I still love it and will be upgrading to the YoYo+ with baby #2 (literally the only baby purchase I plan to make other than some fresh bottles). I previously had the GB pocket stroller for travel and then it was either taken from my car or I left it somewhere without realizing because that thing folded down into nothing.

• Babyzen YOYO+ Stroller - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C7J43DQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DJujDbY9YFNZJ

• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $499
• What you like about it: the stroller folds up to be carry-on size on an airplane. I store mine in my car infront of my daughter’s car seat. It handles VERY WELL for a compact stroller. Easily pushed with one hand, comfortable for kid, very sturdy when if you use hooks to hang things from the handle. This is not the case with other compact strollers and my daughter toppled over a few times in her Summer Infant 3D lite.
• What you don't like about it, if anything: the underneath storage leaves a lot to be desired,  it in that area I was spoiled by the Uppababy Vista. The fold is not the easiest and the recline is not fully flat.
• Is there a [stroller] you don't have but are considering? Why?: I plan to sell my current YoYo model (which is for 6 months and up and doesn’t allow for attachment pieces) and get the YoYo+ so that I can add on car seat adapter and the air/stand board for my older girl. I have the UppaBaby Vista so I will probably get the second seat for that, though I am really unsure if I will ever use it. My older girl will be 3 when baby is born and does not prefer to ride in stroller too often.
• Additional thoughts on strollers: with my first, I was convinced the Uppababy Vista was the only stroller I would need, and therefore it justified the high price tag (though I did receive it as a gift, as well as my Thule jogging stroller). So then when we started traveling with my daughter I felt weird investing in an umbrella stroller and bought the $50 Summer Infant 3D Lite. Which is a decent stroller for $50, but I had really wanted the YoYo all along and should have just gotten that (I wound up giving the 3D life to my in-laws to use). I love that I bought my YoYo pre-owned, and I highly recommend this route if you are buying the stroller yourself. They all look disgusting after a few months anyway and I well made stroller should last for many years.